Light 'Em Up
by insanechayne
Summary: Connor and Murphy celebrate 4th of July with some fireworks and kisses.


**Light 'Em Up**

Murphy tugged at Connor's hand, pulling him up the fire escape as fast as possibly could, though Connor tried to take it slow so that he wouldn't fall down the stairs and die.

"C'mon, Con, the fireworks 'r gonna start soon, n' I don't wanna miss 'em!" Murphy tugged at Connor's arm more insistently, his excitement growing as he heard the first bangs and pops of the night sounding in the distant.

"M' comin', Murph, hold the fuck up." Connor rolled his eyes at his brother's excitement, trying to quicken his pace so that Murphy would stop trying to rip his arm from its socket.

Finally they made it to the roof of their little complex, and Murphy immediately spread out one of their comfiest blankets over the gravel floor. He plopped himself down on the right side of the blanket, leaving plenty of room for Connor on the left, and lit up a cigarette, inhaling deeply and blowing the smoke out into the stale July air.

Connor sat down beside his brother, handing Murphy a beer and then lighting up his own cigarette. Connor couldn't help but marvel at the way Murphy's eyes had practically glazed over with anticipation, the blue waters reflecting the night sky and the sea of stars above.

Murphy had always gotten excited over fireworks, ever since they were children. Of course, in Ireland they didn't have 4th of July celebrations (nothing to celebrate over there), but the summer festivals that came around shot the things off every night until they left town. The twins had been able to see the lights from their house, and they would climb up on their roof each night that the festival was in town, sipping milk or juice cartons, or maybe sucking on a popsicle, and enjoy the show.

Connor grew bored after a night or two; in his opinion if you had seen one firework show you'd seen them all. But Murphy couldn't get enough of the flashes and loud claps, and so Connor would accompany him on that roof every damn night, just to see the smile that brightened his brother's face; twenty minutes of boredom was worth it just to see that smile.

Now they were all grown up and were quite patriotic Americans, even given their birth heritage, and Murphy loved the fact that everyone got into such a joyous mood and shot off fireworks to celebrate. Every year they'd sit on the roof of their loft, or maybe Doc's pub, or Rocco's apartment if they were really desperate, and Murphy would watch the show while Connor watched Murphy.

The show started fairly quickly this year, and the twins lay back on their blanket as the colors and lights took over the sky. Murphy stared upwards, seemingly enraptured, the fireworks reflecting in his pupils. Connor paid no attention to the fireworks themselves, but rather focused on the way they burst in Murphy's eyes, and showered his face in a glow of color.

Connor took in every inch of his brother's beautiful face, bathed in blue and green and red and gold, and it hit him just how much he truly adored his twin. Murphy's face was soft, not angular like Connor's own, which gave him an innocence that was rare to find even in children, and right now he looked like a little boy seeing the magic of the world for the first time. Murphy's fluffy, dark brown bangs were swept off his forehead, his hair sticking up slightly from how many times he'd run his fingers through it during the day, and Connor had the sudden urge to reach over and gently pull his own fingers through those soft strands.

A burst of golden-white light came from overhead, showering Murphy's face in an angelic glow, and Connor's breath nearly caught in his throat. Murphy looked like an angel right then, and it could have brought tears to Connor's eyes had he been a bit more liquored up.

Connor couldn't hold back any longer; he reached over and gently cupped Murphy's chin in his palm, pulling his brother's face towards him. Murphy looked mildly confused, his eyes still straining to see the fireworks, and then Connor's lips were pressed against his, and his eyes slid closed, shutting out the fireworks completely. The flash bangs of color and sound went off inside his head then, the feel of his twin's lips on his own about like silk against his skin, the love Connor felt for him seeping through every pore and screaming in every cell in their bodies.

Connor lifted Murphy on top of him as if he weighed no more than a feather, and Murphy instantly draped his body over Connor's, no longer interested in the show behind him. The kisses were more magical than the fireworks, anyway.


End file.
